Prequel to Mandy's The Gilded Lily
by Le Chat Qui Garde La Lune
Summary: This is the prequel to Mandy's The Gilded Lily she's letting me write it b/c I'm her beta! Takes place @ the Embassy Ball and then 3rd year. Please R/R


Disclaimer: This is a prequel to Mandy's Gilded Lily. All character actions, and some lines, the plot, and ideas are hers. The way I write them is my own. Of course the characters (some) firstly belong to Miss Joanne Kathleen Rowling.

She couldn't wait. The Embassy Ball was just three hours away. She had better start getting ready now. She tried to hurry past her Father and Stepmother's bedroom but it was too late. 

"Oh Lily dear! _There_ you are. Now we simply _must_ go over your Charm school lessons again. I'm afraid that you've forgotten everything at that horrible boarding school of yours." Lily looked warily at her stepmother. She was already dressed in her finest. A peach colored ball gown that after much crying, and some very false tears, Lily's father had bought for Claire yesterday.

"But Claire, we've been going over them for weeks now. I assure you that I remember absolutely every meticulous detail most thoroughly. And besides, it is only three hours to the ball and I haven't even begun to dress yet." Lily said knowing that this would horrify her stepmother. And indeed it did.

"Oh my goodness! Why haven't you begun to dress yet? What's gotten into you? We've only three ours. Less than that, it takes fifteen minutes to get there! That leaves us only two hours and a half at most." Claire looked shocked at the very thought. "Vigo Where are you? Vigo!" Claire' voice rose abruptly making Lily cringe. 

Vigo was their hairdresser. He took care of Lily's and mostly Claire's hair. Lily could only wonder at what extremity he would do her hair this time. Vigo tended to be very-er, enthusiastic.

Two hours later, Lily was astonished. She was wearing her first formal dress. It was white and very beautiful, it swished prettily when she walked, gathering around her feet in just the right way. She had white slippers to match that were small, dainty, and absolutely gorgeous. Vigo said she looked stunning but Claire only said that she wished she could do better, for the Queen herself was coming to the ball that night, and what Claire wanted more than anything was to be noticed by the Queen. 

The time passed quickly and soon they were almost there. As they walked into the grand place Lily couldn't help but feel impressed. She scanned the crowd only half listening to Claire's ranting proudly about how she looked better than half the people there, and worriedly about how she looked worse than the other half. Suddenly her heart flipped over. Surely it wasn't…? But it _was_! It was James Potter and his mother and his sister Jennifer, His mother was the one who helped me onto the platform my first year. As Lily approached her, Claire dug her nails into Lily's arm. 

"Who do you think you are, approaching such a grand person like that? Do you know who she is?!"

"Certainly I know who she is. Her name is Adrienne Potter and I attend school with her son. I know her personally."

Lily was positively beaming with joy because of the combined events of feeling superior to her stepmother, who Lily knew could only curtsy in Mrs. Potter's presence, and for getting to see James Potter that evening.

"You look nice." James murmured 

"Thank you James." Lily felt her face flush and angrily wondered why that always had to happen at the wrong times.

"Lily! How are you? Are you going to dance school again this summer? Maybe we can turn Miss Annette's' hair pink again!" Jennifer giggled.

"Shh Jennifer! Or your mother will know it was us!" Lily winked at her and caught James' eye. He looked at her and just cocked an eyebrow and shrugged. Lily sighed. It was going to be a long evening.

Lily saw many important figures, including the Queen herself. Lily was sick of her father's crowd and did not want to make her stepmother angrier, so she stayed with little Jennifer. James was at her side when they watched the Queen walk by.

After the Queen passed, James took Lily's hand and led her to a place where the little children were being put to sleep. He set Jennifer down and went to find his parents. Lily watched the scene quietly from a little bit away.

"Mum, Dad. I put Jennifer to sleep. I want to be with Lily and I don't want Jen to be around."

Adrienne looked mildly amused. "That's fine James. You two go off and have fun now."

James smiled at Lily. A smile that made her heart turn over. Then he did something that almost made her faint. He took her hand and led her away to a more secluded corner of the dance floor.

James bowed a large, false, cheesy bow. "May I have this dance Lady Lily?"

Lily blushed, embarrassed. "I, I don't really know how to dance." She said meekly.

James grinned, "Well that's no problem, I'll teach you."

After that night Lily's stepmother was raving because the Queen had asked her who the cute young couple dancing was. But for Lily it was just bliss being there in James's arms as he taught her how to waltz."

The best part though was yet to come. James led Lily out to the staircase 

"You're great you know Lily." James told her,

Lily didn't know how to reply, but she didn't have to. James then kissed Lily. Not on the lips of course, they were young people of high society. It would have been a scandal if someone had walked by. But still, Lily was in bliss.

As the night closed down, and people were gathering their furs and purses, James pulled Lily aside from her father as they began to depart. She thought perhaps he was asking for her address so he could pay her a call, but no. He broke her heart. Right after he had let her soar.

"Er Lily, I don't know how to say this, but could you possibly not mention this to anyone at Hogwarts?"

Lily knew why. She was so unpopular that he didn't want to ruin his perfect reputation by dating an outcast. Or even let it be known that he danced with an outcast. 

Lily didn't say anything, so James continued.

"You know that if you do say something I'll deny it and say that my mother made me do all those things with you."

"Did your Mother make you do all those things?" Lily's voice trembled with emotion. James had left her so hurt, he had nearly killed her. After she had gotten her hopes up, and thought her dreams had come true, James had slaughtered them.

Jennifer who was at James' feet said.

"That's not true! He's quite taken with you. He fancies over you at home."

James shook her off and denied the whole thing

He then looked Lily in the eyes. "Yes." He snapped. "My mother made me dance with you. My mother made me be polite to you, compliment you." But then, he looked down. He looked back into her eyes. "But she didn't make me kiss you." He said it so quietly, as if it didn't matter. 

It mattered to Lily. She slapped him, hard. Right before she climbed into the Rolls Royce. 

On the way home Lily heard Claire chattering away happily that her stepdaughter had been complimented by the Queen. But Lily only thought of James. How she would hate him. Eternally, forever.

A/N: I added a slap for effect. It's what I would have done. Poor Lily, I'm sure she would have done worse if gotten the chance. *evil grin* Short I know, later chapters will be longer. Sorry for the 1st/3rd person mistakes I think I'll make it in first from now on. What do you think? Thanks to Mandy for looking it over.


End file.
